Boho Beat

Feb. 24: Pascal Toussaint at 142 Throckmorton Theater

Every famous artist, singer or writer, it seems, eventually discovers an underexposed talent along their career trail. Mos Def opened his show in San Francisco last week lip-synching along to Georgia Anne Muldrow, and several years ago, Leonard Cohen made a stab at promoting Anjani, a young singer to whose album he produced and lent his name. So it’s no major surprise that Amy Tan, author of 1989’s breakout Joy Luck Club, should bring her recent discovery to Mill Valley this weekend: Pascal Toussaint, a young cabaret singer from Paris with one of those absolutely incredible voices that never broke at puberty. Comparisons to Jimmy Scott aren’t quite proper, as Toussaint’s phrasing is dramatically clipped, but no less moving. Tan appears in conversation with Jane Granahl, founder of S.F.’s Litquake, to talk about luck, talent and the great breakthrough, while Toussaint makes his American stage debut on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 142 Throckmorton Theatre (where Dana Carvey showed up out of the blue last week!). 142 Throckmorton, Mill Valley. 7:30pm. $16–$20. 415.383.9600.Gabe Meline